The Finance Ministry spokesperson requested the public to await Ekniti's explanation following the Constitutional Court's ruling on the loan decree, revealing progress in revising the state welfare card criteria and plans to submit the proposal to the Cabinet next Tuesday.
On 9 Jul 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Winij Wisesuwanphumi, Director of the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) and spokesperson for the Finance Ministry, disclosed progress on reviewing and screening qualifications for the new registration round of the state welfare card program. The Finance Ministry plans to present to the Cabinet two key adjustments for consideration at the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 14 July 2026 GMT+7. These include discontinuing the use of the parental deduction criterion as a condition for eligibility screening and excluding special agricultural debt from being combined with regular debt for assessment, as this group of farmers carries high debt levels exceeding 100,000 baht, often due to disaster impacts and unique agricultural conditions.
However, the deduction criteria for spouses and children remain in effect. Applicants claiming these deductions will be deemed ineligible for the state welfare card.
Regarding the screening process of over 19 million registrants, the Finance Ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to proactively engage local administrative mechanisms, including district chiefs and village heads, to identify and include vulnerable individuals genuinely in need who cannot register independently. An additional 5.4 million names have been collected beyond the original 13.18 million registrants. All will undergo screening based on criteria approved by the Cabinet.
Mr. Winij confirmed that the official screening results will be announced on 17 July 2026 GMT+7. Those who do not meet the criteria will receive clear individual explanations and have the opportunity to appeal. Individuals failing the state welfare card criteria will receive benefits under the Thai Chue Thai Plus program phase 2 for two months. This group will not need to re-register; simply confirming their intent to receive benefits via the "Pao Tang" application will grant immediate access to entitlements.
On concerns about budget overruns if more people qualify than anticipated, Mr. Winij stated that the Finance Ministry and the Budget Bureau will jointly manage resources to ensure assistance reaches all genuinely needy individuals comprehensively, aligning with government policy prioritizing vulnerable groups.
Regarding the Constitutional Court's ruling that the 400-billion-baht loan decree is constitutional, Mr. Winij said he encourages waiting for the official statement from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, who is currently accompanying the Prime Minister on official duties in Malaysia.